trumpeter swan

American  

noun

1. a large, pure-white, wild swan, Cygnus buccinator, of North America, having a sonorous cry: once near extinction, the species is now recovering.

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trumpeter swan British  

noun

1. a large swan, Cygnus buccinator , of W North America, having a white plumage and black bill

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Etymology

Origin of trumpeter swan

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

Another set of remains from a related species, which they named A. yoshiiensis, suggested a bird as long as the largest living swan species, the 5½-foot trumpeter swan.

From New York Times • Apr. 29, 2022

A trumpeter swan soars through the sky, its wings outstretched and backlit by the sun, rendered iridescent.

From Washington Times • Feb. 22, 2020

The trumpeter swan has a small, flap-covered hole on its neck to drain saliva.

From Washington Post • Aug. 16, 2018

At the best of times, Gord’s vibrato evokes something between a trumpeter swan and a rusty weathervane.

From Slate • Aug. 17, 2016

Wyoming: Whooping crane, trumpeter swan, wood-duck; mountain goat.

From Our Vanishing Wild Life Its Extermination and Preservation by Hornaday, William Temple